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Re: Pacers Camp: Day One (Wells)

West sounds like he's going to have a great season! He really was a different player the final 2 months of the season and in the playoffs than he was most of the year, if we have late season West all year long we're in for a great year of Pacers basketball!

Re: Pacers Camp: Day One (Wells)

Most teams don't have great defensive 2nd units, so I'm not too concerned. I think the bench is going to be really, really fun to watch.

This is what I was thinking. Most teams aren't going to have a bench that can really play defense that well. The Bulls might be the only ones who could call their bench defense a strength. If Green, DJ, and Lance can be as dynamic as these reports make them sound, we won't have to worry about their defense.

What's really strange is that I honestly don't know what to expect from this team, as far as playoffs or ceiling. I like the guys we retained as starters, and the guys we added for the bench. But I'm very skeptical that it's going to be enough to unseat Miami - and we'll have New York and Brooklyn and Atlanta to deal with as well. And who knows what Chicago will be without Rose. Lots of optimism, but lots of questions.

Re: Pacers Camp: Day One (Wells)

Yes, the bench basically has a good starting PG coupled with aggressive scorers. They should be really good with Ian in the middle on D.

I agree. And I think the main concern with the bench was improving the ability to guard against the pick and roll. I heard that mentioned several times. I think Ian and Miles were brought in specifically for that reason.

Re: Pacers Camp: Day One (Wells)

Ian was known to be foul-prone before. If he's having to cover for a lineup of average-to-bad defenders, that could be a real issue. Unless Miles is ready for some real time; if so, you can have 3 centers.

Re: Pacers Camp: Day One (Wells)

Ian was known to be foul-prone before. If he's having to cover for a lineup of average-to-bad defenders, that could be a real issue. Unless Miles is ready for some real time; if so, you can have 3 centers.

Hes been improving on that every year though. Not unfair to expect Ian to have improved further.

Re: Pacers Camp: Day One (Wells)

If Miles isn't ready to play this season, then there is jus tno hope for him. He is already 24.

He can't even legally rent a car yet. Though I agree it's crucial for him to show SOMETHING this season (since we used a 1st rd pick on him) he's got some time to learn and improve while playing behind a few veteran players.

I think preseason will give us a BIT of an idea of what he can bring to the court..if anything

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Re: Pacers Camp: Day One (Wells)

It might be old, but at the same time having that much more maturity than other guys starting in the league at 18, which will help him with the lifestyle of the NBA (I'm looking at you Hassan Whiteside). He should be able to work his way into a better role by the end of his rookie deal, which puts him at about 28 and at the beginning of the prime of his career. Plus, he's athletic and big. They don't grow on trees. I really like the pick even if it isn't a "swing for the fences" type of pick.

I look forward to a long career for him as a rotational big. Every team would love to get a rotational big with a late first round pick, let alone a player that will be on their roster for more than their rookie contract as end of bench fodder. I really like the pick.

"Your course, your path, is not going to be like mine," West says. "Everybody is not called to be a multimillionaire. Everybody's not called to be the president. Whatever your best work is, you do it. Do it well. … You cease your own greatness when you aspire to be someone else."

Re: Pacers Camp: Day One (Wells)

Dude can't play anyone with half a brain saw that in the 8 years (seemed like it lol) at Duke.

I agree with you, I'm just saying if he doesn't magically become better this year, then it's not going to happen at all. I mean think how much crap Hansbrough took for his age coming out of UNC and he was actually younger than Miles and a much more accomplished player.

Re: Pacers Camp: Day One (Wells)

I agree with you, I'm just saying if he doesn't magically become better this year, then it's not going to happen at all. I mean think how much crap Hansbrough took for his age coming out of UNC and he was actually younger than Miles and a much more accomplished player.

No kidding this isn't like JO who was a 7 year vetern when he was 24. Miles did nothing year in and year out in college. I still don't see what NBA skill he has very soft and plays weak. If Miles was 18 or 19 and just stunk it up one year in college I could at least get the logic(I still wouldn't agree much). Miles is Andre Drummond w/o the defense and poential so pretty much all he brings is 6 fouls IMO unless a miracle happens. Conrad Brunner had me rolling the other day on the Dakich show mocking the pick it was lol.

No kidding this isn't like JO who was a 7 year vetern when he was 24. Miles did nothing year in and year out in college. I still don't see what NBA skill he has very soft and plays weak. If Miles was 18 or 19 and just stunk it up one year in college I could at least get the logic(I still wouldn't agree much). Miles is Andre Drummond w/o the defense and poential so pretty much all he brings is 6 fouls IMO unless a miracle happens. Conrad Brunner had me rolling the other day on the Dakich show mocking the pick it was lol.

Well, Miles at least is halfway intelligent. He has that going for him, even if it doesnt help on the court.

Re: Pacers Camp: Day One (Wells)

I agree with you, I'm just saying if he doesn't magically become better this year, then it's not going to happen at all. I mean think how much crap Hansbrough took for his age coming out of UNC and he was actually younger than Miles and a much more accomplished player.

More accomplished obviously, but I saw Miles do more legit NBA type moves in summer league than I've seen throughout Tyler's entire 3 years here. Miles showed nice form on his jumper, he put the ball on the floor without walking (seemed like really good footwork for a big), showed a nice running hook which will be impossible to block with his size and athleticism. I'm not sure if he can do all this versus NBA comp, but I hold at hope.

I have some questions about his aggressiveness on the boards and defense like others, but I like what I've seen so far. If we can just turn him into 15-20 mpg backup, the versatility he'd bring to our frontcourt could be very helpful.

Re: Pacers Camp: Day One (Wells)

No kidding this isn't like JO who was a 7 year vetern when he was 24. Miles did nothing year in and year out in college. I still don't see what NBA skill he has very soft and plays weak. If Miles was 18 or 19 and just stunk it up one year in college I could at least get the logic(I still wouldn't agree much). Miles is Andre Drummond w/o the defense and poential so pretty much all he brings is 6 fouls IMO unless a miracle happens. Conrad Brunner had me rolling the other day on the Dakich show mocking the pick it was lol.

I'm not seeing the comparison. Miles showed decent form on his jumper, good footwork, and finished with force on offense. You can tell he's been well coached. Drummond, while looking great defensively, looks like a train wreck on offense, and he looks soft a charmin around the rim. Some of the shots he threw up had me in tears.

Re: Pacers Camp: Day One (Wells)

Fun little feel-good read. Only question I had was about Danny not playing in this team scrimmage. But, I'm guessing he played in the first half and was out in the second half because they're trying to go easy on his knee.

Re: Pacers Camp: Day One (Wells)

I'm not seeing the comparison. Miles showed decent form on his jumper, good footwork, and finished with force on offense. You can tell he's been well coached. Drummond, while looking great defensively, looks like a train wreck on offense, and he looks soft a charmin around the rim. Some of the shots he threw up had me in tears.

- Rookie Miles Plumlee is plenty big and active to help when needed in the front court. I wish someone would've warned me about his jumper. Scared the hell out of me, kind of like Elaine dancing on Seinfeld. But, he made the first shot I saw him take, a baseline 17-footer. Billy Keller worked with Plumlee after practice and he did make a bunch of shots although they appeared to defy physics with that form.

Just to give you an idea about Plumlee's jumpshot looks like ( according to IndyCornRows ), here is a point of reference:

I'm trying to figure out how Plumlee can properly shoot the ball while kicking his feet out like that

Just to give you an idea about Plumlee's jumpshot looks like ( according to IndyCornRows ), here is a point of reference:

I'm trying to figure out how Plumlee can properly shoot the ball while kicking his feet out like that

lol... ok maybe it's not perfect form, but he shot it with confidence, he had good rotation on the ball, and it went in. That's all that matters. He's clearly a much more polished offensive player than Drummond. Drummond will be a force defensively, but he looks like another Ben Wallace on offense.

Clearly P4E thinks he's worthless, but I'm not seeing it. I think he can play in this league. I'm not concerned with his college numbers. People that get paid to evaluate our players liked him, that's enough for me. I don't pretend to act like I know more than they do.